In recent years, as one of emerging techniques for sterilization and disinfection, a technique of electrolyzing brine or seawater, and producing an aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite to be used as a disinfectant solution has been developed.
In other words, the electrolysis device is a device that electrolyzes brine or seawater and generates sodium hypochlorite (Sodium Hypochlorite; NaOCl). Here, the produced sodium hypochlorite can be used in sterilization of purification plants, sewage treatment plants, and swimming pools, and processing a coolant of a power plant or ballast water of a vessel.
When operating the device generating sodium hypochlorite, the brine or seawater is electrolyzed in an electrolysis module, thereby generating chlorine, hydrogen, and oxygen gases. Here, the chlorine gas is quickly dissolved in water (H2O) or is reacted with hydroxide ions (OH), and is converted to hypochlorite. After that, the hydrogen and oxygen gases that are not dissolved in water are discharged to the atmosphere through a gas-liquid separator. Here, the hydrogen gas is explosive when concentration thereof is equal to or greater than 4%. Thus, the hydrogen is discharged by using an air blower capable of forcibly supplying air after dilution to a concentration of less than 4%.
As such, the device generating sodium hypochlorite always possess the inherent risk due to hydrogen gas generation. Thus, it requires that the hydrogen gas be removed so as to prevent the underlying risk.
However, in order to process the hydrogen gas produced as the by-product during electrolysis of the brine or seawater as described above, it requires installation of an additional gas-liquid separator, thereby causing an increase in installation costs and maintenance requirements. In particular, when the separator is applied to a conventional vessel, there is a problem in that it is difficult to implement a piping configuration, etc. due to limited installation space. In addition, it is essential that a line for discharging the hydrogen gas after dilution with ambient air be configured. Thus, there is a further problem in that the vessel should undergo structural modification, thereby causing an increase in installation time and costs.